(We clean the popcorn machines at the movie theater I work at every night. We leave any extra popcorn in the first machine we cleaned, and pop fresh popcorn the next morning. A customer walks up to register as I’m emptying the kettle.)

Customer: “Can I get a small popcorn?”

Me: “Sure.”

(I turn to the machine with fresh popcorn to get her order when she stops me.)

(I’m tearing tickets when a woman walks up to me with four children. She is holding two large popcorns and a large drink.)

Me: “Tickets, please.”

Customer: “They’re buried in my pocket. Would you hold one of my popcorns while I dig them out?”

Me: “Sure.”

(She hands me one of her popcorns, which I hold in both hands in front of me. She begins digging in her pocket.)

Customer: “Hold it away from you.”

Me: “I’m sorry?”

Customer: “I don’t want you to hold it so close to your body.”

(I look down at the popcorn, which I’m already holding at least six inches away from my body, looking confused.)

Me: “Excuse me?”

(She immediately grabs the popcorn out of my hands then continues rummaging through her pocket looking for her tickets. She sets the popcorn I was holding precariously on the edge of a nearby trash can, trying to hold it up while looking it in her pocket. Suddenly she loses her grip and the popcorn spills on the floor.)

Customer:*forlorn, looking at the spilled popcorn* “I’ll take that as a loss.”